Lantern



April 24, 1928. 1,667,343 E. B. BRONSON LANTERN ""'Oriainal Filed oct. 2s, 1922 2 Shetsneet l April 24, 192s.

E. B. BRONSON LANTERN 2 Sluts-Sheet 2 Grisinal Filed oct. 2s. 1922 Fatented Apr. 24, 1928i.

UNITEDSTATES PATENLOFFICE.

nnivronn i3. BRoNsoN, or BLUE ISLAND, ILLINOIS.

LANTERN.

Application led October 23,` 1922, SerialNo. 596,270. Renewed March`15, 1928K.

My invention relates to lanterns, and more particularly to what arelinown as seltcontained electric lanterns of the portable type that are adapted for useby switchnien, rail-4 road workers and other persons who desire to use a Vlantern to be carried by a bail in Ehe manner of the well known tubular-lan ern. l' i One oftheprincipal objectsof my invention resides in the provision of a lantern in which the battery container is in the form of a shell, and one end thereof being provided with a lamp ksocket into which may be inserted a bulb, and the structure in this unitary form `is so'mounted in a suitable carrier or support as to be capable of angular adjustment therewith. Another object resides in the provision of a switch mechanism mounted exteriorly of the batt-ery casing so that it maybe operated manually by rotating a pivoted element. `In ythis connec-` tion, another object resides in connecting lthe switch with the battery casing in such manner that the switch may be operated to kturn the circuit on or off by a rotation of the battery casing. Other objects will be apparent topersons familiar in this art, all of which objects I prefer to accomplish by the mechanism hereinafter described.

The accompanying drawings, which are diagrammatic, illustrate a. typical embodiment or preferred form in which my `lan-VV tern is made, and said drawings form aV part of this specification, inwhich Fig. 1 is a vertical front elevation of my improved lantern.

Fig. 2 is a vertical side elevation thereof; Fig. 3 isa horizontal section of the standard or supporting cage, detached from the lantern body, and taken on liney 3-3, Fig. 1. Fig.y 4l is a horizontal section on line 4-4, Fig. 2, and drawn to an enlarged scale.

Fig. 5 kis a`section on line 5 5, Fig. 4.-. Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing r a modified struct-ure wherein the bail or haudle is pivoted and may be moved with rcspect to both the stand and casing.

Fig 7 is a vertical side elevationlooking Vat the righthand side of Fig. 6 and with the handle` moved downwardly. f

Fig. 8 isa sectional view of a Vmodified handle bracket.

Similar reference characters designate the saine parts throughout the views, and by referring to Figs. 1, 2 and 3 it will be observed the supporting and carrying structure ci? lantern comprisesxa rectangular base `6 formed of wire or rod oi suitable gage, having the corners chamfered, as shown `in Fig. 3, to permit the base to be reelined upon any ot its sides as well as its bottom, and from these chamfered corners arise the vertical legs or loops 7,7, ythat support the lantern body. The rectangular outline of this base is peculiarly advantageous in connection with the pivoted` battery casing, as it per-` mits `the structure to be disposed upon its" side aswell as bottom in which reclined position it will be supported securely by a straight side ofthe base and the top ofthe bail or casing. -Such a position increases -the convenience of use and the servicesin which the lantern may be employed. These supports are preferably of wire, similar to base G, and are of U-shape, as shown in Fig. 2,

.so that the ends'of the arms thereof are turned around the corners of the base, and the connecting portions are disposedsubstantially parallel with the base. A plate 8 has its lower end connected with the `hori- Zonta'l portion of standard 7 by formingV a loop 9 around the same. Two of these plates 8 are provided, oneon eachside of the lantern bodv, and their upper portions are bent outwardly in an inclined direction and then formed tubular to provide sockets 10, 10, that extend vertically upwardly 'from the flat portions of the platesto receive the ends of the Usshaped bail11, of wood, bamboo orother suitable"material.` i

Thebattery casing comprises a cylinder 12 having a transverse convex wall 13 closing one end from which `extends a tubular shell y 14 that isthreaded'upon its outer endto receive a transparent or ltranslucent globe 15. A suitable socket of any wellknown construction is providedin the end 13 `in which ,is mounted a miniature electric bulb 16. The opposite end of the battery casing 12 is closed by a hinged cover 17 that is retained against accidental displacement by a. spring latch 18 which may belocked in position by the rotation of a wing stud 19 that coacts therewith. The wall fot" the bat;`

vtery casing,1at diametricallyv opposite points,

the casing iis provided with embossments or trunnions 20.*which are .preferably hollow and longitudinally slotted, as hereinafter detailed. 'These trunnions orv embossments enact with suitable apertures ,tcnnieclv inthe siipporting plates S sind ari'tl., ded.y @ne and the adjacent portion of plate 8 with itsl feather in the slot made in the trunnion, The opposite embossment 20, as seen 1n Fig. et, is sin'iilarlyreduced` in diameter to pro vide a sleeve 23 that passes through the aperture in its plater 8 djacent thereto, and is provided with a longitudinal -slit 2232-L to receive afer-.ther 24: entendinginto the centrai opening` in a washer vmounted upon sleeve 23.

llVithin sleeve 23 is mounted the switch for turning onand oif the circuit to the bulb. Thefcircular insulating block 26 fits intothe sleeve and carries posts 27 to which the adjacent ends of the two conductor wires 28 are-connected. The outer ends of posts 27 are threaded and screwed into small disks or .nuts 29 embedded in the outer face of block 26 so as to provide separated or spaced Contact elements in the face of the block. Disposed-in front of the block is aninsulating disk 30 having spaced apertures 31 to receive short stubs 32 on opposite ends of a segmentally shaped switch plate 33 that is preferably of thin metal of suitable conductivity and is preferably' bowed' trans-v versely intermediate its ends, as seen in Fig. 4. Centrally of disk30 isareetangularl aperturefto receive the square end3t` of a stud thatf is` increasedin diameter and of circular outline, as at 35, intermediate itsends .where it is positioned in a central aperture made ink a cap 36.y The cap 36 is threaded inten nally, andis screwed upon the threaded outer end of tubular sleeve 23. A. rotatable cover 37v titsover capBG, as seen in Fig. 4', and has a square aperture in its central portion to receive the corrcsponding` portion of stud'34. The outer end of stud` 3-t is threaded, and a nut 3S is screwed thereon to maintainthc pa'iitsin assembly and insure the movement or. rotation of the switch carrying disk 30 with cov-cr 37. Upon the exterior of cover meniber 37 is provided a pair of radially projecting lugs 39 that enga-ge thehead of small holt 40 screwed into the laterally iny clined; portion of plate 3' so that its head may be projected into and out of the path of movement of lugs 39. Bolt 4t() :may be adjusted so-as to remove it from the path of the lugswhenever desired.

In order to be able to assembleV cap 36 with sleevey 32, I have providedk transverse holesa; inthe cap and cover` 37, which may vbe broughtinto registry to receive a pin for holding these two elements; against relative movement so thatthese parts-may be screwed upon theA threaded endl of sleeve` 23, and when this assembly is completed the pin is removedthereby permitting cover 37 and the insulating disk 30 to be rotated while cap 36 remains in its adjustedposition. It will be seen new, that when it is desired to adjust the battery casing with respect to the stand or base, the parts may be rigidly secured in the desired adjustment by turning up cap 2l on the opposite trunnion.

lVhen the battery casing and the parts are in therelative position, shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the casing may be rotated upon its trunnions in the direction indicated by the arrow inFig. 2, causing the upper lug 39 to engage the head of bolt 4i() which will stop the further Arotation of cover 37, and, consequently, the further rotation of'insulating disk .30 with switch plate 33 thereon. Fui-'tlier rotation of the casing will bring the contact pieces :29 on their respective posts 27 carried by block 26 into electrical contact with the. studs 32, therebyforming the circuit tl'ierethrough and to the respective conductor wires 28' and the filament of the bulb, which will illuminate the lantern. By reversing' the movement of the lantern body the opposite lug 39 will be moved into engagement with the head of bolt el() to stop the further movement in thatdirectionY of the cover member' 37 and the switch plate disk 30, while a continued movement of the body in the same direction will move theV Contact elements on block 36 out of engagement with the switch element, thus shutting off'thefcurrent to the bulb. When desired, the casing may be rotated to a desired position, after screwingbolt 4() out of the path of. lugs 39 andthen cover member 37 may berotated by the fingers of the operator to switch the current on and Gif.

In Figs. 6 and ofthe drawings I have illustrated a modification of the lantern wherein the` standard or support. and thc handleor bail are made separately, and the latter is adapted to be swung downwardly, substantially inthe manner shown in Fig. 7, for the purpose of permittingthe operator to pass his arm througl'i the bail and rest or support the lantern hase orstandard in trout of the-elbow, as isusually7 the practice with railroad conductors when taking up fares. etc. As seen in Figs. 6 land 'T the support is formed of uprights 7.oannular base portion 6 andfplates S that are connected to the horizontalportions of the legs b v means of loops, as hereinbefore explained; The upper portions of plates S-terininate above the aperture to receive the trunnions, and one of thc plates is provided with an oblique extension 8S1 of less width than its body portion, and which is provided with a spherical 'embossment db in the under surface of? its outer portion. Y

Thehandle ll is received .in sockets 10a extending upwardly from a dislclike plate which disks are interposed between plates and washers 25. Intermediate disks mand sockets 10a the elements are given an oblique lill) ment 8b heretofore alluded to.

socket element and when it is desired to operate the lantern the handle may bemoved to substantially the position vshown in Fig. which disengages the depression or aperture y from spherical embossment 8" and permits the operator to'mount the lantern upon his arm adjacent the elbow.v UponY the return of the handle to a vertical position the embossment will snap into the depression or aperture causing a temporary latching ofthe parts which maintains the handle in an up-' right position.

The casing 2O of the lantern and the switch and other parts are all identical with the structure heretofore described and as illustratedin Figs. l to 5, and the lantern body or casing may be adjusted upon its trunnions to a desired angle at any time, whether the j handle isvertical or inclined. The handle is provided with a plurality of recesses 50 into which may be projected the set-screws 5l and by the selection of a suitable pair of recesses the length of the bail may be nicely adjusted to the armoi:l the individual user.`

While I have herein illustrated but two modiiications of my invention, it willbe obvious that other structures may be designed to carry out the principles of my invention without departing from the terms ofthe appended claims, and I desire it understood that such. changes are contemplated as coming fully within the scope oi said claims. F orv example, the handle bracket may be modified as illustrated in detail in Fig. 8, wherein the oblique portion extended from plate 8, or' from apertured disk ff/ is morel upright and the socket 52 is formed upon the outer surface. A spring member 53'is secured to this oblique member and carries a lateral pin or stud 54 upon its outer or free end that passes through an aperture in the adjacent wall of the socket so that it may enter a recess in the enclosed portion of handle 1l and act as a latch. By releasing this latch the handle may be forced down through the socket, as seen in dott-ed lines (Fig. 8)

so that the lantern will occupy lessspa ce lorV storage or shipment.

What I claim is:

l. A lantern comprising a suitable supporting base having al carrying element connected therewith, a battery casing pivotally mounted in ksaid base, a socket on said casing, a switch upon the exterior of saidcasing, conductors leading from said socket to adjacent said switch, and means operable by the movement of said bodyy upon its pivot for electrically connecting said switch, and conductors.

2. An electric lantern comprising a bat tery casing, trunnions extending diametrically therefrom, a support and handle vwith which said vtrunnions co-operate to pivot saidvcasingthe base of said support having a rectangular outline, andmeans cooperating with one of said trunnions fory retaining saidcasing andsupport indesired relation.

3. In an electric lantern, a support coinprising an angular base, a pair of loops se'- cured to and arising from opposite portions of said base, apertured plates secured to and extending from said loops and` providedwith handle-receiving sockets, a batteryy casing having trunnions `co-operable with apertures in said plates, and means co-acting with said trunnions and plates for securing said elements in desired relation.

4. An electric lantern comprising a support consisting of a base provided with handle receiving members, a batterycasing provided with. trunnions co-operable with said base, whereby said battery casing may be rotated upon its trunnions to dispose the same at divers angular relations with said support, said base being formed to support the lantern in fixed position when disposed on its side as well as when disposed on its bottom. j

5. An electric lantern consisting of a battery casing, oppositely disposed trunnions extending therefrom, a support apertured to receive said trunnions, means co-operating with one of said trunnions and said [support for securing said elements in desired relation, a switch mounted in one of said trunnions, and adjustable means for co-ordinating said switch and support whereby said switch is operated by a relative movement between said casing and support. y

6. An electric lantern comprising a battery casing, oppositely disposed trunnions extending therefrom, a support in which said trunnions are journaled, a switch within one of saidtrunnions, and means for coordinating said elements whereby a relative movement between said casing and support will operate said switch.

7. A lantern comprising a supporting base having a carrying element connected there with, a battery casing pivotally mounted in said base, a lamp socket on saidv casing, a switch upon the exterior of said casing. conductors leading from said socket to adjacent said switch, and means operable by relative the v movement of one of said elements with removement of oneof said elements with resperrt to the others for electrically connecting said switch and conductors.

9. In an electric lantern, a Supportoornprising an angular base, a pair of loops secured to and arising from opposite portions of said base, apertured plates secured to and extendingfrom said loops and provided with liandle-reoeiving;` sockete, a handle oonnesting; said Sockets, a'better'v easing having trunnions (20-Operable Witlrtlie apertures in seid plates, and means, co-uotinp; with said trunnions and plates for securing said ele* ments in desired relation.

Signed et Chicago, county ofI Cook` andY State `@l Iliinois, this 19m @my of october, 1922.

EDMQND B. BRONSON. 

